When something breaks at night or on a holiday, it can be hard to know if it’s a true emergency or if it can wait. At TGN Property Management, we prioritize safety, habitability, and clear communication—24/7.
Below is a practical guide to what counts as emergency maintenance in Los Angeles rentals and exactly how after-hours issues are handled.Our Los Angeles Property Management experts recommend bookmarking this guide so you can act quickly and confidently if something urgent comes up.
Quick Answer
- Emergency maintenance includes issues that threaten life, safety, or major property damage: gas leaks, active flooding, sewage backups, electrical hazards, fire or carbon monoxide alarms, broken exterior doors/windows that compromise security, lack of water, and nonfunctioning toilets where there is only one bathroom.
- After-hours handling: Call the 24/7 line (or use the portal’s emergency flag). We triage immediately, provide safety steps, dispatch licensed vendors, and communicate updates until the issue is stabilized.
- Not usually an emergency: Dripping faucets, minor appliance issues, routine pest concerns, noisy neighbors, or cosmetic repairs. These are scheduled during normal hours.
- Documentation matters: Photos/video, time of occurrence, and clear descriptions speed resolution.
Our Los Angeles Property Management experts recommend calling first for true emergencies, then following up with photos via your portal once you’re safe.
What qualifies as an emergency in a Los Angeles rental
Emergencies are problems that cannot wait without risking injury, habitability, or significant property damage. Common examples:
- Gas leak or strong gas odor: Vacate immediately and call the gas company/911, then notify management.
- Active water leak/flooding: Burst pipes, overflowing fixtures that won’t stop, or roof leaks during storms.
- Sewage backup: Any backflow of sewage into tubs, toilets, or drains.
- Electrical hazards: Smoking outlets, sparking panels, burning smells, repeated breaker trips after reset.
- No water at all: Complete loss of running water to the unit.
- No working toilet in a one-bath home: Loss of the only functional toilet.
- Carbon monoxide or smoke alarms sounding continuously (not just low-battery chirp) or visible smoke/fire.
- Security breaches: Broken exterior doors or ground-level windows that prevent securing the unit.
- Elevator outages affecting residents with mobility needs (especially in high-rise/HOA buildings).
- Extreme temperature risks: While AC is not always required, during severe heat events, lack of cooling can be treated urgently, especially for vulnerable residents.
Our Los Angeles Property Management experts recommend reporting any situation where safety, sanitation, or major damage is at stake, even if you’re unsure—triage can determine urgency.
What is urgent but not an emergency
Not everything needs a middle-of-the-night dispatch. These issues are typically handled promptly during business hours:
- Minor leaks/drips you can contain with a bucket and shut-off.
- Appliance malfunctions (fridge not cooling, oven not heating) unless food safety is immediately at risk.
- One of multiple toilets not working when others are functional.
- AC performance issues in mild weather; or heating issues when temperatures are safe indoors.
- Simple lockouts or lost keys/fobs (often a tenant-responsible service).
- Routine pests like ants or small roaches unless there’s a severe infestation or stinging insects posing immediate risk.
Our Los Angeles Property Management experts recommend submitting these via your resident portal with photos and preferred access times to speed scheduling.
How after-hours emergencies are handled at TGN Property Management
We operate a streamlined response designed to stabilize fast and fix thoroughly:
- Report the emergency
- Call our 24/7 emergency line or use the portal’s emergency option.
- Provide your name, unit, callback number, who is on-site, and a brief description of the hazard.
- Triage and safety coaching
- Our coordinator will assess severity in minutes, walk you through immediate safety steps (e.g., water shut-off, breaker shut-off, ventilating a space), and escalate to management if needed.
- For gas smells, fire, or CO alarms, we’ll direct you to evacuate and call 911/utility first.
- Dispatch and vendor coordination
- We contact the appropriate licensed vendor (plumber, electrician, restoration, board-up, elevator tech).
- For multi-tenant or HOA buildings, we notify onsite/security as required.
- Stabilization and mitigation
- Stop the source (e.g., shut water, cap lines, de-energize circuits).
- Mitigate damage with extraction, drying equipment, dehumidifiers, and temporary repairs.
- We may arrange temporary accommodations if a unit is temporarily uninhabitable (case-by-case, per lease and law).
- Communication and follow-up
- We update you via phone/text/portal and schedule permanent repairs for the earliest window.
- We document all work orders, photos, and invoices.
Our Los Angeles Property Management experts recommend keeping pets secured, clearing access to the affected area, and having a phone charger handy so you don’t miss updates.
What you can safely do before help arrives
- Water leaks: Turn off local shut-off valves under sinks/toilets; if needed, turn off the main water for the unit. Move belongings, use towels/buckets, and avoid wet ceilings that sag.
- Electrical: If safe, switch off breakers to the affected circuit. Never touch smoking or wet electrical gear.
- Gas odor: Do not use switches or phones inside; evacuate immediately, call 911/SoCalGas from outside, then contact us.
- Sewage: Stop using water fixtures; close the affected room if possible; ventilate.
- Security breaches: Move to a safe area, call authorities if needed, and wait for board-up/locksmith.
Our Los Angeles Property Management experts recommend a simple “emergency kit”: flashlight, batteries, towels, multipurpose tool, and knowledge of your shut-offs and panel location.
Costs, responsibilities, and expectations
- Owner vs. tenant responsibility: Habitability issues and normal wear failures are typically an owner responsibility. Damage caused by tenant misuse/neglect (e.g., flushing wipes, overflowing a tub unattended, broken windows due to negligence) may be billed back.
- After-hours premiums: Emergency work can cost more. We minimize after-hours charges by stabilizing first, then completing non-urgent tasks during business hours when appropriate.
- Access: Timely access is essential. If you can’t be home, our vetted vendors can enter with management authorization per your lease.
- Documentation: Submit photos and a brief timeline; this helps with warranty or insurance claims.
Our Los Angeles Property Management experts recommend reporting small issues early—many emergencies start as preventable drips, trips, and chirps.
Special notes for LA apartments, condos, and HOAs
- Elevators: Outages are urgent in high-rises, especially for residents with mobility limitations. We coordinate with the HOA’s vendor and building security.
- Building rules: Some HOAs require vendor COIs or specific entry windows; we handle compliance and pass through any legitimate after-hours building fees with documentation.
- Shared systems: Boiler, chiller, or common plumbing failures affect multiple units; we stabilize individual units and work with building management on system-level fixes.
Our Los Angeles Property Management experts recommend reporting building-wide symptoms (e.g., no hot water on multiple floors) so we can escalate to the right party fast.
Preventing emergencies: simple steps for residents and owners
- Know your shut-offs: Main water, individual fixture valves, and breaker locations.
- Replace detector batteries: Treat chirping smoke/CO alarms promptly.
- Use drains wisely: No wipes, grease, or foreign objects. Strainers in showers help.
- Monitor appliances: Don’t leave washers/dishwashers running while away.
- Proactive maintenance: For owners, seasonal HVAC service, water heater checks, and smart leak sensors reduce risk.
Our Los Angeles Property Management experts recommend a quick annual “risk walk” with photos—under sinks, behind appliances, and around windows—to catch early signs.
FAQs: fast clarity
- Is no AC an emergency? Usually not, unless extreme heat creates a health risk. We still treat heat-related calls with urgency during heat waves.
- Is a lockout an emergency? Generally no; after-hours locksmith costs are often tenant-responsible unless a building system failed.
- Only toilet is clogged—emergency? Yes, if it’s your only functional toilet. If there are others, it’s urgent but not after-hours emergency.
- Beeping alarm? Continuous alarm is urgent; a single “chirp” is usually a low battery—submit a work order if you cannot replace it safely.
Our Los Angeles Property Management experts recommend calling when in doubt; safety comes first, and we’ll guide you.
TGN Property Management: Calm, clear, and 24/7
- Fast triage and dispatch with licensed vendors
- Transparent communication via phone and portal
- Damage mitigation first, permanent fixes next
- Compliance-ready for HOA and building protocols
If you’re facing an urgent issue now, call our emergency line immediately. For non-emergencies, submit a detailed work order in your resident portal. TGN Property Management is here to keep Los Angeles homes safe, functional, and comfortable—day and night.